1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flexible joints for rotating members generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel flexible joint especially useful for coupling a drive motor shaft to a lead screw in a linear positioning device.
2. Background Art
Flexible couplings are widely used between driving and driven shafts in rotating machinery to permit transmission of rotational motion through an angle to compensate for intentional or unintentional misalignment of the shafts and/or to compensate for operational misalignment.
Many flexible couplings, especially those which absolutely prevent any relative axial movement of the shafts are relatively expensive and, in some cases, quite heavy, the latter feature introducing considerable inertia into the system of which they are a part. Flexible couplings used to couple a drive motor shaft to a lead screw in a linear positioning device often permit an undesirable amount of relative axial movement between the motor shaft and the lead screw.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a shaft coupling that reduces relative axial movement between driving and driven shafts.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a shaft coupling that is economical to construct.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such a shaft coupling that is relatively lightweight and has low inertia.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.